Stay At Home Artist

Tatiana and Olga 2010

Thursday, April 25, 2019

When people talk about Brontë novels, it seems to me , the discussion centers on the exciting Gothic plots. But let's look at the writing....which is amazing in my view

Here is a piece
__________________

It was a deep voice, and foreign in tone; yet there was
something in the manner of pronouncing my name which made it
sound familiar. I turned about to discover who spoke,
fearfully; for the doors were shut, and I had seen nobody on
approaching the steps. Something stirred in the porch; and,
moving nearer, I distinguished a tall man dressed in dark
clothes, with dark face and hair. He leant against the
side, and held his fingers on the latch as if intending to open
for himself. ‘Who can it be?’ I thought.
‘Mr. Earnshaw? Oh, no! The voice has no
resemblance to his.’ ‘I have waited here an hour,’ he resumed, while I
continued staring; ‘and the whole of that time all round
has been as still as death. I dared not enter. You do
not know me? Look, I’m not a stranger!’ A ray fell on his features; the cheeks were sallow, and half
covered with black whiskers; the brows lowering, the eyes
deep-set and singular. I remembered the eyes.

_________________________________

That last sentence is so simple, imperative and modern, it is startlingly. This is, of course, when Heathcliff returns. Nelly Dean is speaking. She knew him from childhood, yet she was unsure who this was... it was the deep memory of his eyes that convinced her. He leant against the
side, and held his fingers on the latch as if intending to open
for himself.

Here Emily's shows the danger, and Nelly's notice right away...wow.

Reading Brontë....they don't use Victorian language because they are not Victorians...if anything they are romantic Georgians , a spectacular throw back to an earlier age, its last, brilliant crescendo ....indeed, most, if not all the novels, are even set in that earlier age. If Charlotte had lived, she would have likely found it difficult to keep write as she would in the increasingly straitjacketed Victorian years ahead. The cries of " coarseness ! " would have increased to even more of din as the age wore on.As it was in 1857, Mrs Gaskell spent a good deal of ink to apologize and make excuses for Charlotte's supposed "coarseness" when she was dead...One can see the difficulties CBN , the living author would have had. The Victorians were embarrassed by their free wheeling ancestors....a clamp down trend that continued to tighten until the 1890's began to loosen it and WW1 broke up the social straight jacket altogether.

Renewed interest in the Brontës cropped up every decade during the last half of the 19th century as almost a permissible relief ( They were dead and long ago after all) ...it's fun to read the Victorian articles declaring, " Surely, interest in the Brontës must finally wain? " lol...Why, no, it won't and it hasn't.

What is also interesting in reading the fragment of Charlotte's last effort," Emma", she seemed to be returning to her "sober as Monday morning " kind of novel. She always answered one kind with another. There was quite "The Professor" and then " oh damn it! I'll write as I please," "Jane Eyre.". The purposely prosaic "Shirley" and then she indulged herself again with " Villette" ....an emotional see saw which answered to Charlotte's duel nature of forbidding sober sides and molten lava fount lol Perhaps it's because I'm writing myself ,and for years now, but I see and experience reading differently ...and my admiration for the Brontë's writing grows. As I have said, if you would know these young women, read their books.

In researching for a historical novel it's a mistake to only look for information....information and facts are vital of course, I stick to them ...but you must stop , consider, even dwell on, how your protagonists felt.That is what bridges our time to theirs. How such information as you just read in a source material, would have effected them emotionally? It's simply information to us; to them it could be a life and death development .

The aim and point of an historical novel is to show the reader how the people felt. If you have the desire to show that, you should do well, or at least be able to jog on. If it wasn't for the emotions in the story, my book would be three pages long. But I have read about this story for decades, written about it for years and have talked about it for hours at a time. Emotion is the jet fuel .

Meanwhile I'm working away. There is awhile yet until it's done, but the pieces/ scenes are coming together. What is interesting is running into an idea or insight placed in different scenes. Such as the observation that in all the eight years Arthur was at Haworth, before his proposal to Charlotte, there was never a moment where he could declare himself, until he did. Arthur did so at the first real opportunity.

It was only a little over a month into Arthur's Haworth career when Mr. Robinson sacked Branwell . So there were the years of young Patrick's decline and the ensuing domestic upset to go though. Then everyone is dying , then Arthur learns Charlotte is a world renowned author, with London calling for her presence. ( How even further beyond his grasp she must of seemed then.) So it was a bit ingenuous of Papa to storm Arthur had " long hidden his aim!". When during all that turmoil could ABN have spoken up?

This insight could be placed in a number of areas and was. Now I have to choose exactly in which scene to place it for good. I love also how things mentioned earlier come into play later...that redoubles the effect later. I have some themes that pop up and develop though out the book. I have been thinking of painting Romanovs again...it's been four years ( amazing) since I finished my painting of the Tsar and Alexi. I do intend to take up painting the family again some day. It's too much fun not to! When you engage in a creative project, be it painting or writing, you truly enter into your subject's world. Meanwhile I recently uploaded a new video

Monday, February 11, 2019

A friend of mine said this blog as been quite and they kindly asked for a book update. I assured them; silence means I'm at work and it is going well. This is one of the most fulfilling times during this project

It's fascinating that things often do not turn out as we expect. I expected to put together my scenes and thus form the book in a straight forward manner ...yet even as I do so, more material is coming in to be included. I also expected to dread this time of pulling the many scenes into one coherent piece, but I love it.

What has also been interesting lately is that as I isolate myself in order to have more time for the book , Emily has come to the fore more. While this is Arthur and Charlotte's story , I had some scenes with Emily of course. But as I have somewhat duplicate her chosen life of , at least mental, solitude, in order to steep myself into a creative endeavor, her emotional voice resonates more and a few more scenes with her were created.

It's said Emily Jane Brontë is a mystery....but it's no mystery to me why she wanted to be left mostly alone, even by her nearest and dearest. It was in order to dwell as undisturbed as possible within her own world....to not feel the yank of " the chain" , as she described the sensation of being wholly in her body and sensible only to the outer world we all inhabit.

Household chores, moor walks, music and certainly writing , do not intrude upon that world like every day human discourse does. The types of attention these two conscious states call for are very different . ..and remember; Emily was expected to follow Victorian social modes while interacting ...not use our far more casual ways. I can see her fostering a cantankerous reputation with a purpose....besides likely being cantankerous! We cannot imagine Emily would find us bores to avoid too...well, likely she would have. lol.

Whatever mental distress is in the news, Emily seems gets saddled with it. I seem to recall over the years she has been described as being" Bi-polar", " Bulimic," having "Asperger," "Autism," "Turrets Syndrome " etc. I may be forgetting one or two. Anything; but she was a mystic, a woman of genius, who wanted to be left alone! If you want to know this young woman on her terms, read her novel and her poems. Much is right before us.

THE OLD STOIC.

Riches I hold in light esteem, And Love I laugh to scorn; And Lust of Fame was but a dream, That vanished with the morn.

And if I pray, the only prayer That moves my lips for me Is '' Leave the heart that now I bear, And give me liberty!"

Yes, as my swift days near their goal, 'Tis all that I implore: In life and death a changeless soul With courage to endure.

EJB

When I think of the great material we have to know the Brontës ; their books, I'm a little overawed. The Brontë mind is open to all who read their books. For example, when was the last time you read " Wildfell Hall "? Good Lord, its like being invited to the Parsonage sitting room itself. ..particularly the early parts when village life goes under the Brontë magnifying glass. I have found it very helpful to periodically look again and again where one has looked before. Far more often than not, one sees something "new" .

And Charlotte's letters! How many have read only the passages that are quoted in biographies ? If one cannot afford the Oxford three volume edition of CB's letters, Clement K. Shorter's book of Charlotte's letters is available, free, online..

Video Round Up

This is a video I made using photos I had taken on our trip to Banagher, and two of the three photos we have of him in old age. It also features my painting of The Rev Nicholls. About the picture of ABN and the little girl, she was Helen Sharrard, the Rector's daughter, she coincided Arthur her extra "grandfather ."

This next one was made when I heard a great Josh Groban song," To where
you are" and it seemed perfect for the Arthur's story. It's a tribute
to his ever lasting love for and the Richmond portrait of , his wife,
Charlotte.The prints of this portrait, which everyone has seen many
times, bares little resemblance to the original.The original is
stunning. Charlotte is not frowning at all as she appears to be doing in
the prints...and I have a 2016 photo I took of it at the end. I can
see why Arthur loved it.

Here are a group of Romanov videos

One of the interesting thing about being an enthusiast for both The Brontës and Romanovs is the vast difference of valuable images between them. With the Brontës, it's very limited.
I have to reused a good number of them already posted in my video " The Brontës. To the Marriage of True Minds"

Then there is the tens of thousands photos of the Romanovs! Every month there seems to be more " new " ones posted. The family all had cameras and they loved recording everything. The only photo we have of a Bronte, is Papa. I wish Branwell had taken up the then fledgling art of photography instead of painting. Then we would have Brontës photos. He got even Emily to pose for him !
_______The Romanovs. What was and will never be again.

I was surprised to see recently this blog listed as a" Brontë blog" on the web. I'm flattered, but here I thought I was toiling away in obscurity ...but no! Also my pics files have appeared elsewhere, from now on they will have a watermark. I have long said one should not leave their insights in the comments of other blogs...now it seems I should muzzle discoveries and working methods on this blog as well. I'm sitting on a lot and will continue to do so, and keep it for the book . Last December was 6 years I have been working on my Brontë novel. I have to say I'm enjoying the work as never before. I use to bemoan how long it is taking, now I just enjoy the ride.

Monday, September 24, 2018

So, as planned,I spent the summer amassing together what sections of
my Brontë novel I have typed into the computer, order to produce a draft.Grand! But then I saw a difficulty; I have
dozens and dozens of filled notebooks and untold number of notes yet to be typed into
the computer. Opps... How did I forget that reality??

laundry basket full

An over stuffed bin

These are but the main deposits.
Every time I move something, or clean, I find more notebooks!

Over the door storage

But wait, there's more!

I
also have innumerable notes made on scraps of paper as the inspiration
struck. Much as Emily would stop her house work in order to write a
note with her pencil. One can't be so foolish as to say," I'll remember ". You won't. I always have a paper and pen with me. Besides the words itch to be written and you'll have no rest until they are!

Just some of the notes

So much work is still ahead.

There is a lot reading I have deferred to the end. Well it's time to gather what I have to read and read it. How easy it is to say along the way, " Oh I'll do that later." Then later arrives!

I have also run into a substantial amount of new to me source material in my research that needs assessing and incorporation. The Brontë fields may have been mowed and thoroughly gleaned again and again over the years, but the Nicholls, Bell and Adamson ones have not....and what is found there, sheds light on Arthur and consequently, the Brontës...at least the part of their story that I am portraying.

And new scenes are still coming in. Besides the main figures, others from the story are coming forth. People whose importance have been over looked imo, are having their say. It will be awhile yet until there is a completed draft....particularly since I type with one finger! lol However I figure if the author, Christy Brown, could type with only his left foot, I can type with one finger.

So I plug on.

One of the most interesting aspects of this gathering together of material has been to see , how often, over the years, I wrote the same scene,but used different words. However the most important words ( often, the dialogue) are the same. It's fun to take scenes written years apart and fit them together in their proper sequence. Many have expanded over time, to included their prequel or a sequel.

It will be 6 years in December since I started this novel . At this point, time is no longer worrying me. The writing is nearly done. What is left is the shaping...and that can take a good deal of time too. But I think time worries us most when we are unsure of a project's out come. Now I know if I just keep working, I'll get there. I already have.

Wednesday, June 6, 2018

For one technical reason or another, the computer I have been using doesn't have long to go. I had a good number of tribute videos for both Romanov and Brontës that have been " in production" some, for years, waiting for art work I had planned to do for them. I know how to make and upload from this current system....( that's another thing. My internet server wants me to "upgrade".

Whenever I see the word, " upgrade" my veins "run ice" as Charlotte would say . Along with the order to upgrade, they always enthuse " you will be able to do more!" after the upgrade.

Indeed one does more! Because " upgrade " invariably means tasks are now more complicated to perform lol ) anyway, rather than my original and grander plans, I decided to put in a few watercolors and or moor photos , finish and upload the videos . There was plenty in the videos already to warrant a go ahead

The Romanovs are front and center in this post as we are very near to the 100th anniversary of their deaths

Romanov video

A remarkable
milestone; when I became interested in the family, the children would
have been in their 60's! This video is about the time Marie went off
with her parents in April 1918. Many people do not realize the Romanovs
were separated for a brief time during their captivity .

In April of
1918, officials arrived, supposedly to take the Tsar to Moscow for trial
. Alexis was simply too ill to travel; so Olga , Tatiana and Anastasia stayed
with him. This was why the executioners did not find a corset of jewels on Marie's body, like they did with her sisters. The corsets were fashioned after Marie left with her parents and Alexandra sent a coded message back to the other daughters. It has been speculated Marie did not have hidden jewels because she was not trusted...hardly!

Ural Soviet claim the Romanovs

There is also good
deal of speculation as to just where the Romanovs were going. Her parents sent
Marie to the guard's train car to find out.
The guards themselves must not have known, because Marie didn't learn anything! Eventually, after a good bit of traveling, the train was blocked, there was a stand off and the family was handed over the
Ural Soviet. They were then taken to Yekaterinburg. In May, Alexis and his sisters
joined their parents and Marie, so the family was together again; only to be murdered on
July 18, 1918.

I find the last part of the Romanov history among its most interesting. It has long been shrouded in mystery, particularly for the English reader ...but no more ! Thanks, Helen!

Brontë video

Here is Brontë video long in production.The Brontës. To the Marriage of True MindsMany hold the vision of the Brontë sisters, forever unfulfilled, pining on the moors; unhappy.That is not my vision. One of them at least knew the full measure of love and really if any of them were destined to do so, it would be Charlotte, the author of " Jane Eyre ".

It's astonishing what Charlotte did in order to marry Arthur Bell Nicholls. She met Arthur secretly on the moor, behind her father's back. Then Charlotte took on Papa in two, epic Parsonage shaking battles. Please don't tell me she was dragged to the alter! lol Adding immeasurable to the her drive, imo, was the desire to know physical love. Charlotte was not to be denied that. For her, it had to be achieved within a marriage and so marriage became Charlotte's aim. I believe her marriage to Arthur was all she dreamed of in that regard .

The summer of a first draft

I found this definition bought on by completion,( be it video or whatever) effected my work on the Brontë novel as well . I can see its shape at last and committed to a first draft in the fall . Up to now I could not apply a time resistant on it, not having a clue of what I am doing.

But I feel now I can and my husband plans to take vacation time then to edit the manuscript. I have dyslexia ...believe me, I need an editor more than most! In fact I could not read properly until I was 12.What is interesting about that is, I can clearly remember the moment I understood these markings, words , were meant to create a picture in one's mind. Then the realization crashed in " like lighting". It was a Random House, Landmark biography of Annie Oakley.If you are of a certain age, you'll remember them. It was a series of biographies written for children, but by pronate authors. Remarkable idea. Back in the day ,what displeased me when I opened it was, there were very few illustrations . It was mostly all text and I was use to pictures helping me to figure out what was going on.However then came the moment after slogging along, when the words themselves created a picture in my brain. It actually had a physical sensation. So by the time I closed the book for the day, the world had altered forever and I became a constant reader...indeed, besides during the day, I would read with a flashlight under the bed sheets. I had a lot of catching up to do So I'm committing to a draft in the fall...Still, new scenes are coming in ALL the time, often prequels to scenes I wrote years ago, which is fun. And just the other day I decided to make a point to incorporate the character's dreams that have popped up along the way . Having characters speak of their dreams is interesting. It's fiction within fiction and events are even more free .....and heaven knows the Bronte's fiction itself is full of dreams! Fewer people appreciated an altered state more than the Brontës!

What it takes to write

What it takes to write something this involved, vast and complex, is just about all one has ; particularly if one is more than middle age like myself . I had an interesting conversation with someone. We were speaking of my book and writing. Turns out they would like to do that themselves. I was encouraging of course. They asked me if I belonged to a writer's group. I said "No". Then they said , " Well maybe you should start one." I said " I can't , I'm writing." Writing, folks, is writing. It's not talking, blogging or tweeting about writing.

I will go on to say, the more one speaks/ reads about writing ,the further away one gets from it. It's actually helpful to cut things out so one must turn to the writing itself. I'm also not allowing new friendships to develop, as there's no spare wherewithal for them and it would not be fair. I can barely retain old ones, and in some cases, I haven't. I'm hard driving a streaking chariot that will not stop for anything as it may not start again. There have been points in my life where I did stop my life for others. I can't at the moment. Things will be different once the book is done. But this is how it is now. People will understand better when they are elderly themselves or they won't and that's fine.Another things needful to write is to be able to say, " I approve of me and that's enough" and mean it . Old age is great in this way . If enlightenment hasn't happened in the course of life, the lack of energy that occurs in old age's wake, brings it on lol. One is too tried to care about the little stuff = Zen Master. The difference in energy is, I believe , a main cause for the "generation gap" . Doing anything costs the older person far more of their energy budget than it does for a young one....so we may disapprove of what seems, no, what would be for us, a wasteful side track ... because we haven't as full an energy bank account to draw upon lol. We know from experience there isn't all the time in the world!

Another thing that drives me on, is I so want to share this with other Brontë fans. I believe they will love it and really, it is other Brontë fans who will mostly see how I weaved in the history...and much history not found in a Wikipedia post.

Brontë shopping bag / 1990s / artist ; Mark Summer

It's a small Arthur World

Last May when my husband and I were in Haworth, we had an interesting meeting, though we didn't know it at the time how interesting it was! Driving from the airport, we had seen yellow berries on the moor and saw a small bush with the same in the Parsonage's garden. A lady was tending the front garden and we asked her about it . She could not have been nicer and more helpful!

We were taken with her little dog who , so faithfully stood guard over her as she worked and I took several photos of him to send to her later via the Parsonage. We did not exchange names. I was going to send the photos addressed to " The garden lady c/o the Brontë Parsonage."

On patrol at the Parsonage

But months later I learned who she was and the name of the little dog in an amazing manner. Well after our Haworth visit , a friend told me there was a new novel told from Arthur's view point! Naturally I went looking to learn about it. It is called, " The last Brontë " and when I read about it, and saw the author's facebook page, I found the garden lady at the Parsonage was the wife of the author! Wow.It would have been something if when we spoke to her, I had mentioned we were in Haworth because I'm writing a Bronte novel based on Arthur Bell Nicholls! I think she might have dropped her trowel lol! How many people are doing that? Not many I would think. Most authors seem to concentrate on the Professor it seems to me . I have to marvel when I think how we met her! It's a small Arthur world after all lol! " The Last Brontë " is about Arthur Bell Nicholls and is written by S. R. Whitehead. I can't read it myself while I'm writing my own. I want to keep my own vision of Arthur, clear. However Mr. Whitehead offers the first chapter online and I read that to experience the Arthur " voice" the book has. I was relived to see its " voice" was different from mine. It's interesting that Mr. Whitehead and I both choose to have Arthur believe CB was a child when he first sees her. However in my version, ABN merely sees her on the lane and as she comes closer, realizes his mistake . I have to say Mr. Whiteheads scene is much better and far more amusing! I look forward to reading how he handles their letters etc. because what I have read in the first chapter is very well written . The book has rightly been met with acclaim. Bravo!There was another Arthur based Brontë novel published last year as well " Mr. Nicholls ; A Brontë Story " by Juliet Heslewood. But the story is told from another person's perspective and an interesting one too ; Johnny Robinson. Johnny was pupil of Arthur's and he certainly appears in my book since he was a real person and spoke of Arthur in his own old age. He was a witness to the wedding and more besides! I look forward to reading this book down the road as well when my own is finished!

Cézanne Portraits at the National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C,

My husband and I recently traveled to Washington to see the Cézanne Portraits at the National Gallery of Art. The show is a mind blower. When one thinks of Cézanne, one think of Province landscapes and apples still life ! Being a portrait painter myself, this was a particularly noteworthy show for me...and I suggest people do not miss it . Not only are the portraits great, but I can see his other works better after attending this show. Cézanne is indeed the father of Modern Art .

Our Lily 2001-2017

Lily in the studio

Late last year we lost our beloved cat, Lily. In fact she passed the same day Emily Bronte did, Dec 19. Lily was ...well words fail me. We are so blessed to have these beings in our lives and really; who cares for who? They are looking out for us. If you have had and lost a dearly loved pet, you'll understand.

Sunday, December 3, 2017

It's five years since I began writing what has since become my Brontë novel. If I knew that statement was in my future when this journey started, I would have been shocked. It would seem fantastic. Back then being but a reader, I some how believed books were written much like we read them. Well as it turns out they don't just roll out before one. Even so I'm still amaze that how long this has taken, and how much more work appears to be ahead ...just this week , three new major scenes came though and were added. As I have said, my method ( or rather how it happens ) is I "see" a scene in my mind , or hear a line of dialogue, I then write it down.

I use to be in a twist over how long it was taking, but no
more. The book is taking what time it needs to take and I'm enjoying every
bit of the ride. I've been deeply drawn into Brontë history, Church
history, Irish history , English history ; each one of those topics take time can
swallow up a researcher whole.

It's like putting together a vast puzzle and each new piece ( scene) snapped in effects the whole. It's great fun to also link scenes together and it's wise too because by the time a topic's resolution happens , each scene that alluded to that topic along the way adds to the final impact.

This is a novel, so I make some assertions that are not 100% provable. However everything in my novel is 100 % plausible . It could have happened the way I've portrayed it.They could have said what I have them say. I don't outrage the known facts , indeed there are usually at least one or two facts that support my notion. The fun is making the known history and the timing work.

For example, when did Arthur Bell Nicholls learned his Parson's daughter, Charlotte Brontë was in fact a world famous author? Very late 1849 or early 1850 according to CB's letters. Originally I had Arthur learn of it at the Brown's, when Martha herself heard of it from her father and then she came "puffing and blowing " to say so to Charlotte.

Oh that scene at the Browns was lovely; but it had to go. Because I learned Arthur knew of Charlotte's authorship before that and indeed had already read CB's books by the time John Brown heard of CB's fame in Halifax and Martha came gasping into the parsonage parlor with her news.

If one follows history's time line, there are gems to be found. Nothing works like the real history, because it throws off sparks that lead to more gems.The actual history is in 3-D, while our own pondering often are not.I had Arthur find out a different way, and its better than the scene I had to omit....more logical.

Another interesting aspect of my book imo is, it's about human beings . Human beings who are sometimes noble, sometime not, however, at bottom , essentially good and usually in an emotional uproar. Characters found in books and movies today seem to be made up of super heroes or super villains and to add some novelty; flawed super heroes or misunderstood super villains, but heroes and villains none the less...I guess it's to prepare us for the upcoming robotic age ( only slightly a joke) But I maintain humans beings, with their fuss, goodness, failings and mess, are more interesting than super heroes, super villains , and certainly , robots.

A few things I've learned along the way.

Don't leave your gems of insights in the comments section of blogs

They crease to be yours then. Before I realized I was writing a book, I could be found on the blogs posting away. I'll never forget the time I felt almost physically stopped from doing so by a feeling inside... so do yourself a favor and save what you have to say for your book. Stop talking about your book unless asked

After 5 years I really must thank the intrepid folks who keep asking how my book is going! Bless them! People are always free to ask! My answer has always been, " Great! " and it's true. But my point is, otherwise one gives time and energy to speaking about the topic , rather than writing the book. I've stopped going to the blogs so much and next to no social media. I just haven't the time . Things will be different once this book is done.

Realize a book requires just about all you have

I wrote the following to someone who said they wanted to write a book,but were not sure they were " good enough" of a writer.

I said :

Start your book right nowOne doesn’t look at cake ingredients and wonder if they can make a cake. One starts mixing and baking. Writing is ditch digging…get your shovel and start . What writing I have seen here is more than good enough…the real question is; do you want it enough?

That is the question one must keep asking oneself...how much do you want it? It has to be a great deal.

It's curious that when she was young, CB asked a good many people if she should write...most said no! lol. But as a successful author when Charlotte herself was asked by young people if they should write, she told them no as well. She said every discouraging thing Papa might have said if he knew what was going on in the Parsonage parlor after evening prayers. I have Charlotte explain that if one has to ask such a question, the answer should be no. That is, if one can be deterred by another person's opinion, then the writing life is not for you. CB was slowed, but not stopped by those opinions.You have to want it ...a lot. But I must also add...it's the greatest fun.

1913 Romanov Diary

My friend, Helen Azar has just published her latest book of Romanov translations in her series called " In their own words". This new volume is the 1913 Tercentennial Diary of Tsar Nicholls II third daughter, Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna

The music is by the excellent Russian composer, Kai Engel and the piece is called "When the Lights Came On "

1913 was an important year. The Romanovs were celebrating 300 years of rule and it was the last full year of peace before WW1. I have looked at Romanov photos for 50 years. Thanks to Helen Azar's work, I can now read their thoughts. Thank you Helen!

Friday, July 28, 2017

My husband and I decided to make a return visit to Haworth this May because frankly, we missed it, but also I learned there was Brontë material in near by Leeds University....material pertaining to Arthur Bell Nicholls, the hero of my Brontë novel . They also have some letters of Charlotte's.

It was great to see these items in person. I had tried to get photo copies made of the items, but that would be difficult as they are bound in books. Since we traveled there, I was able to photograph the material myself.

Haworth Moor

We wanted to return to Haworth anyway, so a quick trip was planned. We had marvelous weather, lots of moor walking, wonderful people, the village, our fabulous Haworth B and B, Wilsons and of course the one and only, Haworth Parsonage. It was a grand trip.

This time we learned it is now permissible to take photos inside the Parsonage. That was very exciting. Plus on display, were costumes from the BBC production of " To Walk Invisible" They look even better in real life; beautifully made and very evocative etc.

Sitting room 2017

I also took part in the Wuthering Heights manuscript project . Everyone is given the chance to write a line of Emily's book and so the missing MS is made again. It was something to copy a line from Emily's book while sitting at the Parsonage!

2017 is Branwell's year and the Parsonage made his room/ studio look as if he just left it for a ramble to Halifax to meet friends...or down to the Bull.

Branwell's Room

The job the Parsonage does in presenting the Brontë story is remarkable. We went though the museum each day we were in Haworth and each time we saw something we had missed before.

Brontë Novel

My husband is now reading Barker's "The Brontës" in order to ready himself to edit the novel. Thank goodness I have an in-house editor! lol He is also helping with the typing from the many notebooks with my handwriting. Thank you, Hon!

I'm sure I have said for many posts," I am now pulling the book together from the scatted scenes" ...but now I really am...and I'm sure I will say in future posts ...oh now I really , really am! Because as one goes into this, one sees things differently. The work redoubles and one sees earlier efforts as not quite the thing...but every step is necessary, one just keeps at it as it evolves.

Also I am currently taking the dozens and dozens of word
processor documents filled with novel scenes and putting all the ones
occurring in 1845 into a document called 1845...and I do that for each
year. So scatted 1850 scenes go into the 1850 document , the 1853 scenes goes into the 1853 doc... etc and so on for each year. Once that's done, I will pull it together year by year, like pearls on a
sting .That is how it's to be done . Use the time line that history has
given you.

I say to people it takes so long because I'm not simply writing it, I'm living it. I'm not a professional writer. It has to come from my emotions and frankly, the gut; that takes awhile.

On top of that is the research....the grist for the mill!It's amazing how a piece of information can alters things. Plus new scenes continue to come in, voices within the Brontë world, but rarely heard, speak up

My aim is to illustrate the known history with dialog etc. Now, I do purpose certain interpretations of the facts at times, but that's different than changing history. Anything I go on a limb about is supported by at least a fact or two, if not more. The fun is to fit the Brontë facts as I write, rather than make the facts fit my ideas. The book is for Brontë fans by a Brontë fan. What fun is it if its made up Brontë history? Believe me, in generally history is better than our fiction lol.

An abundant shower of Arthurs ....

Since posting last I learned there will be two Arthur Bell Nicholls centered novels upcoming this fall ...eeekkk! One from ABN's view point, (as mine is ) the other from another person's view. That put me in a sweat. Here I have been writing my ABN novel since late 2012, and with more time needed!

Well, it was too good an aspect of Brontë history to remain unnoticed forever. Most Brontë authors concentrate on M. Héger, like bees to honey. Yes, there is " Romancing Miss Brontë" from 2010. A well written book, particularly the difficult part of CBN's illness and death. But the it seemed really about Charlotte to me.

I read on line the first chapter of one of the upcoming publications and was quite revealed to see the treatment and voice is different than my Arthur novel.

So now I say, the more the merrier! ... as I work on

I've always loved Arthur and taken his part all these years. I think Rev. Nicholls much maligned and undervalued by history....but it seems, no more!

Other wise I will be working on two videos , long in production , plus working daily
on the novel of course.

Thursday, February 23, 2017

When my husband and I visited NYC to see the Morgan Library's wonderful Charlotte Brontë exhibit ,( which we did a number of times) I would always look up longingly at the show's beautiful street banners hung up and down Madison Ave.

Now I have one!

My husband remembered that after a show closes, the Morgan offers its street banners for sale and he got me one! It looked smaller while hanging high above the pavement! It's 7 feet of fabulousness , now hanging in my home. It makes saying goodbye to this once in a life time exhibit a bit easier. I feel I grasped a few feathers from the fire bird so to speak. The show is not entirely gone

Yup, I'm a lifetime member....since 1978

Other interesting news, I found my Brontë Society life time member card! I thought it had long ago disappeared ...but a bit of cleaning and there it was, tucked away into that " some place safe " we put important items... A place so safe, we often forget where it is ourselves! It says I was a life time member since Jan 1978, however I was a fan long before that.

Though they kindly looked a couple of years ago as my request, The Brontë Society couldn't find a record of my membership ...really glad I found the proof on this end. It's great to have it back. At that time, thecard was made up as a little book, such as the young Brontës would make. Adorable

Brontë Society Transactions

BST over the years

While writing and researching my novel, I love to collect old BrontëSociety Transactions...the booklet the Society publishes ever year with news, new historical findings and focus pieces . It's remarkable what you find. The old ones aren't that costly and are available on eBay or Amazon. Often the articles from BST will be referenced in a book. It's great to see the original article.

Contemporary reviews

Lately I have been reading the original reviews of the Brontë sisters books as published in contemporary periodicals . Reviews were very different then. They were long, think pieces and not every book got one. Indeed, instead of bringing a book to success, a review would come about after the book found favor on its own. Getting one review would be an achievement. This is why when Charlotte told her father, Patrick, her book was printed and had a number of reviews, he was impressed.

Because reviews were often penned after a book made its own way, the whole plot is often shown. They didn't know the meaning of "spoiler alert!" A review was a comment on what you have likely read already.

They are eye openers...particularly those found in "The Christian Remembrancer" by Ann Mozley. Her anonymous reviews seemed to be the ones that stung Charlotte the most. She actually wrote a letter in response to one. She had tried to do that before, but her publisher advised against it. This time Charlotte didn't ask them, she just let fly. Her letter was written in July 1853;a low time for Charlotte. Mr. Nicholls had finally left Haworth, and while the situation between Arthur Bell Nicholls and her father was stressful and irksome , having a love sick, would be suitor was at least some support....now " he's gone-gone..." as she wrote to Ellen.

Charlotte's answer to Miss Mozley's harsh review of " Villette " in a way trail blazes the path Mrs. Gaskell would later take. In that CB paints herself as a piteous figure( the sole survivor of a family of six). This was how a romantic writer, more suited to the early 19th century,tries to make herself understood by mid century Victorians and Mrs. Gaskell would expand upon it